Task force hears Newtown voices

John Pirro

Updated 11:06 pm, Wednesday, January 30, 2013

People sign in before Connecticut's Bipartisan Task Force on Gun Violence Prevention and Children's Safety at Newtown High School on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013. The task force was created in response to the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Photo: Jason Rearick

A member of March for Change hand out stickers before Connecticut's Bipartisan Task Force on Gun Violence Prevention and Children's Safety at Newtown High School on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013. The task force was created in response to the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Photo: Jason Rearick

A member of March for Change hand out stickers before Connecticut's...

People wait in line to attend Connecticut's Bipartisan Task Force on Gun Violence Prevention and Children's Safety at Newtown High School on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013. The task force was created in response to the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Photo: Jason Rearick

State Sen. Martin Looney, left, talks with State Rep. Larry Cafero before Connecticut's Bipartisan Task Force on Gun Violence Prevention and Children's Safety at Newtown High School on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013. The task force was created in response to the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Photo: Jason Rearick

David Wheeler, father of shooting victim Benjamin Wheeler, speaks with Newtown First Selectman Pat Llodra before Connecticut's Bipartisan Task Force on Gun Violence Prevention and Children's Safety at Newtown High School on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013. The task force was created in response to the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Photo: Jason Rearick

NEWTOWN -- Before a crowd far different from the one at Monday's hearing in Hartford, and just a few miles from the site of the horrors of Dec. 14, a legislative task force on Wednesday heard from many of those directly affected by the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Some 140 people, including town officials, families who lost children, first responders and local residents signed up to address the Bipartisan Task Force on Gun Violence and Child Safety at Newtown High School. About 500 people attended.

"This is a very different crowd than we saw in Hartford on Monday," said Marty Isaac, president of the CT Against Gun Violence, as he handed out stickers at the entrance to the auditorium.

"We're at ground zero," Isaac said, "and I think it's going to be very emotional."

Outside the school, Newtown residents Bob Carter and his wife, Jan Newburg, held placards advocating gun control and promoting a march for "reasonable gun laws" at the state Capitol on Feb. 14.

Cars pulling into the school slowed as they passed Carter's sign, which read: "NRA: Guns don't kill people, people kill people. We just make it easier."

At a table in the school lobby, other members of CT Against Gun Violence were doing a brisk business selling T-shirts advertising the Feb. 14 Hartford rally.

Most of the early speakers were largely for stronger gun control measures, such as bans on the sale of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and in favor of more stringent background checks.

But gun rights advocates were also present.

In a rear corner of the auditorium, Dave Barzetti, a gun owner, went over the remarks he would make to the task force with the assistance of his wife, Carla.

"Gun owners should not be penalized for the wrongdoing of one person," Barzetti said.

He said he favored placing school resource officers and armed police officers in the schools.

"Guns have become synonymous with crazy people," Carla Barzetti said. "But guns can also protect. We need to look at what is making the object evil, and it all lies with the shooter."

As the hearing got under way, the moderator, state Sen. John McKinney, R-Fairfield, whose district includes Newtown, asked the crowd to refrain from applauding or cheering when they agreed with a speaker's comments, in order to save time.

But the admonition quickly fell by the wayside when the first speaker, Newtown First Selectman Pat Llodra, called for banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, stringent background checks and improved mental health services, concluded her remarks to thunderous applause.

"I can accept that change will be incremental," Llodra said . "I ask that you commit yourself to this journey of change for as long as it takes to make a difference on these issues. One legislative session will hardly make a dent on what we need to do. Please be there with us for the long haul."

From then on, the audience applauded the speakers, sometimes vigorously, other times politely.

They stood en masse as parents of the children and the six educators who were killed spoke of their losses.

"Anger is a major issue in society," said Scarlett Lewis, whose son, Jesse, was one of those killed.

"He was 6 years old ... wondering when he was going to lose his first tooth," she said. "There were 19 others like him, in addition to six other beautiful souls that were lost."